View Full Version : Val Pollard (Charlie Hardwick)
Emmerdale's Val Pollard - played by 48-year-old Charlie Hardwick - attempts to show her former flame Rodney Blackstock (Patrick Mower) who's boss next week when she tries to seduce him and show him up as the "dirty dog" of the village. As ever, though, Val's plot doesn't quite go to plan when Rodney threatens to expose her advances to her husband Eric (Chris Chittell). How will Val worm her way out of her latest predicament? We gave Charlie a call to find out more.
Why does Val start interfering when she sees Diane and Rodney getting on well with each other?
"Val's first thought is 'aye aye, he's trying to get into the back room'! [Laughs] You know what I mean! Then Val thinks that he's trying to get into Diane's heart, before thinking that Rodney wants Val out of the pub. That's the killer. She thinks he's a dirty dog. Then when she sees Diane give Rodney a kiss on the cheek, she immediately thinks that there's trouble afoot. Val knows Rodney - she's been there, done it, had the child and been the babysitter. And when Val originally turned up in Emmerdale, she went back to drink from the same pool, so she definitely knows what he's like."
Do you think Val's jealous?
"Whenever Val's getting attention and she isn't, there's some kind of jealousy! But on this occasion, though, Val just thinks, 'he's not getting my pub'. Consciously, she's worried about Diane but subconsciously, she's only ever totally concerned about herself. I've said this before, but I wrote a list of quintessential characteristics of Val on a post-it note when I first arrived at Emmerdale and I keep them in my script file. She's glamour and sex, she always tells the truth - even when she's lying - and everything she does, she does for Val."
What lengths does Val go to in order to stop Diane and Rodney being together?
"Well, she comes up with a plan. Val always comes up with plans - this is another characteristic that's emerging with her! What Val, of course, has to do to scupper their potential relationship is to prove to Diane that Rodney's a no-good dirty dog so she can kick him into touch."
How does she go about it?
"She can't do it verbally because Diane would think she's jealous. So Val sets about proving her point on a much grander scale. She sacrifices her virtue to show her sister how low Rodney will go…"
What was it like filming the scene when you were effectively mounting Patrick Mower?!
"I had him slammed up against the wall with Val saying: 'I remember the first time you took me in the pantry!' Honestly, when I first read the scripts, I laughed and laughed. The dialogue's fantastic. Patrick was absolutely game for the scene, it was just so funny. Val ends up chasing Rodney from kitchen to living room and back again. He's like a Greek pig! But then Val changes tactic and starts crying and he feels sorry for her. Before he knows it, he's kissing her."
What happens in the aftermath?
"Well, of course, to Val, she's got Rodney exactly where she wants him and she plans to tell Diane exactly what's happened. But, of course, he shouts at her something like: 'I bet Eric will like this when I tell him.' The consequences hadn't occurred to Val - she hadn't thought about how it could all be misconstrued. Val and Diane have a big row, too. Me and Liz [Estensen] really didn't want to do it! Work-wise, it was great - they were great scenes to do. But for us as [real] people, we like working together! We didn't want them to fall about again. We're hoping that their situation's going to rectify itself, but we don't know at the minute…"
Who finds out?
"Everyone finds out. Rodney and Val are staring each other out in the bar until Diane drags them into the back room to find out what's going on. And then loose-lipped Rodney spills the details and it all pours out. Pollard overhears, too. It's Val's worst nightmare. She goes to bed crying and playing the victim, but then the next morning she wakes up and comes up with a plan. She goes back to the pub and asserts that half the pub is hers. She's not going to let that one go."
Val does a My Name Is Earl the following week, too…
"Yeah, she must watch it when she's at the bed and breakfast one night. She makes a long list - and it gets a bit dog-eared because she doesn't take care of it - and on it, she writes down everyone who she's offended over the years. She has to go around the village asking people if she's ever offended them. The top of the list, of course, is Eric following by Diane. It's a sweet list and she thinks that if she can apologise for it all, everything will be okay."
Is there anything you've not seen Val involved in that you'd like to see her do?
"I have to say, when the funeral parlour storyline came out, I couldn't believe it when I read about it! What I did see very clearly [in my head] was Val putting makeup on the deceased. She would have done Michael Jackson. She'd have had a go anyway. I could also see her in a top hat walking in front of the hearse with a tight pencil skirt, black jacket and a Dickensian bow as the funeral director. I thought that there was great mileage in the funeral parlour, but then they said they weren't going to do it!"
Are you looking forward to Charity's return?
"She's fab, I can't wait. She's the bee's knees. I'm really looking forward to Emma coming back as well as the character."
What's the feeling on set about the revamp?
"That's a difficult one really because it's so subjective for us. My storylines remained consistent throughout. If it dipped, it was a gradual dip. The most noticeable thing for us is the new cast coming in, especially over the last few weeks. That's definitely had a positive effect on us all."
Do you miss your screen son Mathew Bose?
"Aww, I saw him a few weeks ago and had a curry with him and the lad who played Ivan the dustman, Daniel Brocklebank, he was in town! It was all left wide open with Paul - he's only in Australia."
Maybe you could do a DVD spinoff where Val and Diane go out to Australia to see him?
"Set it up! I've got my passport ready and my bag packed already! Would I?! That'd be great!"
What are your thoughts about Emmerdale's move to a double bill on a Thursdays?
"To be honest, I was really shocked! I originally thought, 'we go on at 7pm, what are you talking about?!' It's still light in the autumn when we're on - it can't be dark when we're on! We were all told together as a cast and afterwards, our first question was, 'oh my God, is it going to be late-night Sex and the City?!' I wondered whether I was going to have to go to the gym because I thought we'd be seeing a bit more of Val in the great seduction scenes. No, I joke… It just means that we'll be able to reach a wider audience, especially in the South. I've lived in London for many years and you don't get home from work until 7pm and you're sat watching the television by 8pm. We'll now have a chance to reach a lot of people who weren't there before. I think because of circumstance, there are a lot of people who can't watch at the moment but will now have an opportunity to. I don't think it'll ruin our loyal viewers, either."
Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick will tread the boards next year after landing a role in new comedy play The Awkward Squad.
The actress, best known for her part as Val Pollard on the ITV1 soap, will appear as Sandy in the touring production from late February.
The Awkward Squad is billed as a "state-of-the-nation" play which takes a humourous look at the unexpected challenges faced by women of all ages. Emmerdale's BAFTA-winning writer Karin Young has penned the play.
Hardwick will take a 12-week break from Emmerdale in order to take on the new project, Digital Spy can confirm.
The Awkward Squad tells the story of a woman named Lorna, who is looking forward to receiving an honorary PhD. However, she soon has difficulties to deal with when her daughters and granddaughter descend on her with a series of problems.
The play's synopsis reads: "A BAFTA, impending divorce, redundancy and a very upmarket caravanette force Lorna to reconsider both the past and the future - for everyone. What's a woman to do? Accept everything that's thrown at her, or become a fully paid-up member of the 'awkward squad'?"
Ex-Casualty star Barbara Marten and former The Bill actress Libby Davison also star in the show.
The Awkward Squad will open at The Customs House South Shields on February 28. It will then be performed at London's Arts Theatre from March 6 and York Theatre Royal from April 9.
Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick has revealed that she filmed two different versions of her upcoming exit from the soap.
The actress's character Val Pollard heads out of the village alone in tonight's episode, wanting time to herself following her recent rows with husband Eric (Chris Chittell) and foster daughter Amy (Chelsea Halfpenny).
Hardwick told This Morning that she is unsure of what will appear on screen this evening as there were two different scripts for Val's goodbye scene with Eric.
She explained: "It's not like, 'Does she fall into the Tyne?' or 'Does she fly off in an air balloon?' It's not anything like that. But there were two very different speeches at the end.
"One was more hopeful about how she felt about Eric, while the other one was, 'I need to get away from you, you pig'. I don't know which one they've used. The director said, 'I'll decide which one is best in the edit'."
In real life, Hardwick is taking a three-month break from Emmerdale to star in comedy play The Awkward Squad.
"It's a risk. I'm going out to do a play, and I might write myself out," she admitted. "I don't know who's going to move up there [to the barn]. I think Brenda from the café will be sniffing around!"
Emmerdale airs Val's exit tonight at 7pm on ITV1.
Emmerdale's Charlie Hardwick has revealed she would love her character Val Pollard to have a lesbian affair.
The 51-year-old actress is taking a break from the show at the moment, but told Inside Soap she would like Val to do something wild when she returns.
Charlie said: "Wouldn't it be good if Val had a one-night stand with a woman? That'd definitely put the cat amongst the pigeons!
"And knowing Val, she'd tell Pollard it's not really cheating if it's with a woman! I think Val would go for anyone who flashed her the eye."
But the actress admitted she'd be furious if Val and Eric Pollard split up and said she already misses working with co-star Chris Chittell.
Charlie said: "It may be good for the storyline, and more dramatic, but on a personal level I'd be gutted if they split! I love acting with Chris, so I'd really hate to see someone else working with him. I'm territorial!
"I've seen Brenda sniffing round Pollard, so she's better not try getting her claws into him while Val's away, or I'll be flaming furious!"
Charlie is touring in play The Awkward Squad while she is off screen in Emmerdale.
PA
Emmerdale's Lesley Dunlop has said she would love to see a catfight between her character Brenda and Eric Pollard's wife Val.
Val has run off to Portugal with her husband's money, but Dales schemer Eric has already begun a secret affair with Brenda Walker, and she wants them to go public. Lesley told Inside Soap she thinks Brenda will fight for her man.
She said: "I'd quite like it if Val comes back to the village fuming.
"It would be good to see how Eric reacts - whether he drops Brenda like a hot potato or tells Val where to go.
"And since Brenda is secretly hoping all the things Eric's been telling her are true, she'd most likely be prepared to stand her ground and fight."
And the soap star revealed if she had her way with the script, Brenda would be taking over the village.
She said: "Whatever happens, I've got high hopes for Brenda. I'd like to see her win millions and buy Home Farm from Declan.
"Then she could buy the cafe and call it Brenda's Baps!"
Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick has hinted that her character Val Pollard will remain estranged from husband Eric for the foreseeable future.
Val returned to the village last week following three months in Portugal, but was stunned to discover that Eric (Chris Chittell) is now dating Brenda Walker (Lesley Dunlop).
Speaking on Daybreak today (May 31), Hardwick revealed that Val and Eric have not reunited in the material she is filming at the moment.
Asked what is coming up for Val, Hardwick replied: "Do you know, I don't know how it's going to pan out. I daren't look at what's coming next! But I know that I'm not with Eric.
"I think Val just assumed that she would just swan back in, there'd be a bit of an argument and then everything would be fine. But he's got a new lady friend!"
Confirming that she is thrilled to be back at Emmerdale, the actress added: "I thought that I was going to be a bit like, 'Oh, I don't like getting up in the mornings' - which I don't! But I like being back very much - I've surprised myself."
Hardwick also praised co-star Natalie Anderson for her performance in Val and Alicia's recent altercation scene.
She said: "I'm rubbish at stage fighting so I'm surprised that came out so well! But Natalie who plays Alicia, she's great - she timed it brilliantly."
Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1.
tammyy2j
02-01-2014, 23:48
Any truth to the rumours she is leaving?
I hope not, I like Val with Eric
Chloe O'brien
03-01-2014, 21:17
I hope not, I like Val with Eric
So do I they are fab together. I like Val & Victoria together it's a shame she has left the b&b to go and work in the pub.
Chloe O'brien
03-01-2014, 21:17
I hope not, I like Val with Eric
So do I they are fab together. I like Val & Victoria together it's a shame she has left the b&b to go and work in the pub.
Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick has said that she hopes viewers will have sympathy for her character Val Pollard as she struggles with her HIV diagnosis.
Last night's episode of the soap saw Val receive confirmation that she is HIV positive after finally confiding in husband Eric and getting herself tested.
Speaking about the storyline, Hardwick told The Mirror: "I hope they will see it could happen to anybody. Val is quite funny and we don't want her to stop being funny. But funny people get HIV as well.
"The test will be, what impact will it have on her marriage and her friendships? We don't know how it will play out.
"I hope people will have sympathy with Val and have a little think about themselves and their sexual health."
Hardwick also revealed that she hopes Val's storyline will help to change the stigma around HIV.
Speaking about the criticism Val has received from fans online, Hardwick said: "I've not seen any comments on social media - I'm not on it. But that is the kind of ignorance we want to blast a bit. I hope there isn't a backlash.
"One of the biggest at-risk groups is women in their 50s going into new relationships after divorce.
"They are no longer worried about pregnancy and think, 'Get in - we are free to enjoy our sexuality unhindered'. But you can't have your cake and eat it."
Emmerdale continues tonight at 7pm on ITV.
Emmerdale's Val Pollard will realise she need not change, despite her recent HIV diagnosis.
Series producer Kate Oates told Beyond Positive that Val will still be able to do what she wants in life when she realises she can carry on living a normal life with HIV.
"Val's status is something that will be with her for the rest of her life," Oates explained. "It needn't change her as a person, how people view her, or what she wants to do with her life.
"She'll realise there's nothing to be scared of. Val's personality is much scarier than her HIV ever could be!"
Oates admitted that some viewers were surprised that Val was given the challenging plot, in a step away from her usual comedic side.
"Seeing a woman like Val test positive is a reflection of the growing number of older men and women finding themselves exposed to the virus, and we couldn't think of a more accomplished actress than Charlie Hardwick to tackle the story."
She added: "Of course, the best thing we could achieve with this story is to still be running it when they find a cure – that would be amazing!"
Hardwick recently revealed that she hopes viewers will have sympathy for her character, as she comes to terms with being HIV positive.
"I hope they will see it could happen to anybody," the actress said. "Val is quite funny and we don't want her to stop being funny. But funny people get HIV as well."
Emmerdale continues tonight at 6.45pm on ITV.
Emmerdale's Val Pollard is left devastated next week as she realises that her marriage to Eric may be over.
Val struggles to cope when she tries to resume a physical relationship with Eric (Chris Chittell), only for him to spurn her advances due to her recent HIV diagnosis.
Here, Charlie Hardwick - who plays Val - discusses whether the couple have a future.
How would you say things are going between Val and Eric?
"There was a blip immediately when they received the HIV test results and he was negative and she was positive. She had a little struggle, but then it came back to an equilibrium as Eric persuaded her that he is there for her genuinely and will help her through it. After that initial worry, Val is prepared to jump back in with both feet and say, 'Thank you Eric, what would I do without you?'"
There's not much physical attention between them at the moment. How is Val coping with that?
"Actions speak louder than words, don't they? It transpires that there has been no physical contact between them or any intimacy since Ian first came on the scene and told her about his HIV. She immediately moved into the spare room, so there's been nothing. When Val thought Eric was ill, she touched his forehead and that has been about it.
"They are quite a tactile couple, so after Val has been to a group counselling session, she suddenly thinks, 'Oh my goodness, I have got to get a grip on this situation. I have a husband who is there for me, not like some of the people in this group. I am really fortunate, so I have to go and grab it by the scruff of the neck and appreciate what I have got'."
What happens next?
"Val goes to kiss Eric and he turns his face away from her. It is absolutely, completely devastating for Val. He says sorry and that she took him by surprise and she says 'Yes, we must be out of sync' but inside something is absolutely dying for them both.
"It's not deliberate on Eric's part at all - it's his subconscious that is doing it. In his mind he thinks, 'Oh yes, my lovely wife, everything will be fine', but his body repels. All his subconscious has got in its mind is HIV."
How are things between Val and Diane at the moment?
"Eric and Diane are the only two people in the village that Val loves and who care about her really, so it is complete devastation. I think Val is really struggling, but she despises Diane for that level of betrayal - as you would."
Can Val ever forgive her?
"Could you? I don't know, Val is maybe more forgiving than I am. This is the second time that Diane has done this. I know that Val had a child to Diane's husband and that must have been a blow, but Diane had it off with Billy Hopwood and Val really fancied him. But this is her husband! Would you ever forgive your own sibling who sleeps with your husband? That is pretty poor."
After the misunderstanding, Eric does try to woo Val back. How does she feel about his attempts at reconciliation?
"It's an intimate reconciliation. Val is pleased because she is forced to go and have a complete go at Diane, as she has nobody else to talk to. She says, 'Look what you've done! This is the situation we are in!' After Val has had a few tears, she takes some advice from Diane because she has nowhere else to go. Diane says to her, 'You have got to give him time. He loves you, it meant nothing to me! Give him time!'
"So Val goes back to Eric and says, 'I love you and I have got to give you time. I am sorry I have been so impatient, but don't wait too long because I won't wait forever for this'. Eric then thinks he better get a grip, so he cooks Val a meal and says 'Come on, let's go upstairs and work up an appetite'."
Does it go as well as Eric had planned?
"Well, you hear Val in the next scene shouting at Eric and asking if he has found the wine yet. He has come downstairs to get the wine and he has grabbed it, but he is sitting with his head in his hands on the sofa. He just can't do it.
"Val comes down and says, 'Okay, this is it, you can't do it and it's not going to change. You can't force it and we love each other very much, so the only thing we can do is be good to each other and separate. We cannot live our lives with a pretence that it is fine to be friends, because it is not enough for either of us'."
Will this send Val off the rails?
"It could go either way, but I think Val is a terrified little girl after this diagnosis - she is not a responsible woman. I think that is why Val needs Diane so much - she is still a little sister and I think she may not cope as well as we would hope.
"I wouldn't put money on Val being able to cope, so I'm staying away from the bookies. I think she could go massively off the rails, or she could quietly cope with it. You never know and people have reserves that they dig into, but personally Charlie is a bit concerned about her."
What would your advice be to Val?
"It's no good saying to somebody to get a grip, but I think she has to find something to cling onto to be as solid as she can inside. She has to reign herself in and consolidate and plough forward."
What has this storyline been like for you to film?
"Gruelling. It's emotional scenes and apart from the HIV, there's a break-up of the marriage and the destruction of the relationship with her sister. It has been very full of sorrow and it doesn't exactly make you click your heels together in the street. The well's run dry here, I think."
Did you do research for this?
"Yeah, I know about HIV. I spoke to a sexual health nurse and before the storyline even started, I knew that heterosexual women in their 50s were becoming a very large at-risk group. It is a growing group, because women think they have gone through the menopause and they don't need to worry about getting pregnant anymore - that they are liberated and free to enjoy sex without protection.
"That is a really tragic reason for it - after all the fear over the years that they might fall pregnant, they think they are okay. Well, you're not, lasses - you have to get some safe sex technique going on. Get on the internet, have a look and please grow in confidence and do not have unprotected sex. I know about the risks, I know about prevention and I know some people who are in a situation where they are HIV positive, but the virus is managed completely by drugs and they are living a normal, happy life. I know that is all possible."
But Val doesn't know that, does she?
"No, and I think that is great for the storyline - that she is as ignorant as you can be about it. She still thinks that it is 1984 and as soon as you have HIV, then you will inevitably develop full blown AIDS and then you will be dead. It's enough to send you crazy - tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of great, young people were lost but miraculously we now have drugs that can suppress it to the extent that it is hardly detectable."
Where do you think Val might be psychologically in six months time?
"I hope she has reached an equilibrium and I hope that she has got the right medication. But it is the emotional side effect of it really - that's the worry. The biological side of it can be managed fine, it's what it will do to her sense of self. Val's sense of self is very much hinged on her sexuality. Hopefully her and Eric will work this out like a lot of couples have had to do and hopefully she will be a HIV positive person!"
Over on Emmerdale, Val Pollard has to decide how honest she wants to be when she gets another new love interest.
Val (Charlie Hardwick) is pleased when ladies' man Tiny arrives at the café with the bread delivery and makes a play for her when he learns that she is no longer with Eric.
Enjoying the attention, Val agrees to go on a date with Tiny at The Woolpack that evening.
Later, things go well for the pair when they meet up at the pub, and Tiny seems keen for things to go further.
Val's sister Diane makes it clear to her that she must tell Tiny she is HIV positive if their relationship is to continue, but Val seems adamant not to…
http://i1.cdnds.net/14/16/618x453/soaps-emmerdale-6859-2.jpg
Pollard sees how close Tiny and Val have become
© ITV
Pollard sees how close Tiny and Val have become
Emmerdale airs these scenes on Thursday, May 1 at 7pm and 8pm on ITV.
tammyy2j
29-04-2014, 00:10
Val Pollard makes a brave move next week as she speaks candidly about her HIV diagnosis at The Woolpack.
Val gives a speech to her friends and neighbours when she starts to realise that she has the support of the village.
The locals rally round Val after she is attacked by a new love interest called Tiny when he discovers her secret.
Here, Charlie Hardwick - who plays Val - reveals how the Emmerdale residents respond to her character's honesty.
How does Val feel after Tiny turns nasty and leaves her injured?
"Val is devastated to the core. She's completely shattered and humiliated, and she feels that the future is hopeless. She thinks that she can't tell anyone she's got HIV because they'll run a mile, but if she sleeps with someone and then it's revealed afterwards, they'll think they've been betrayed by her.
"Val is in a position now where her whole life is out of control and it looks like there won't be any more intimacy for her. That's something that is important for all of us, but for Val it's vital."
How does Val feel when Eric later steps in to defend her honour in a row with Tiny?
"Val's feeling at that moment is that she can fight her own battles and Eric shouldn't stick his nose in. She's still angry with him and she's blaming Eric for all of this now, really. Val, Eric, Diane and Tiny are all involved in this fight and they end up spending a night in the cells.
"Afterwards Val gets charged, and it just confirms that everything is spiralling downwards for her. Val is not very mature anyway, and whenever the pressure is on her, she acts like a child. Val thinks everyone has got off scot free apart from her. She might have to go to court and get a criminal record, so everything is flying out of her grasp. She's devastated and desperate."
Val is still being cold towards Diane for sleeping with Eric. Will they ever be able to settle their differences?
"What Diane did to Val was a pretty huge betrayal. I know Val has done the equivalent to Diane in the past, but she can't forgive her. Eric and Diane are the only two people who Val loved in the world, and they've both betrayed her together. It's cataclysmic.
"Val does desperately need a friend so maybe that would bring them closer, but I don't think it will ever be the same again."
Tiny delivers bread to the locals, so how does Val feel when the village boycotts him in support of her?
"That really surprises Val, and it's one of the catalysts for why she decides to give a talk about her condition. She's shocked that people have backed her. Suddenly she realises that she's not going to be put in the stocks and vilified by everyone in the village after all.
"I think Val assumed that she was going to lose any kind of friendships or relationships she had in the village, but that's not the case."
What can you tell us about Val's speech?
"Val wears a T-shirt from the support group that she went to. It's a shame that we've only seen her go there once, but I like to think that she's been back off-screen. When she wears the T-shirt, I think it's very symbolic of what Val is trying to do.
"Val is trying to take ownership of this - she's going to stand up and be counted. You can't control what everyone thinks, but if she allays the fears that people have about HIV, then she stands a fighting chance of being treated with a bit of dignity."
Will it also be educational for viewers?
"Yes, this storyline is very much two-fold. Val has the chance to tell the pub what the status of the HIV is, as well as talking about the stigma and misconceptions. She gets a chance to allay those fears in The Woolpack, but we also get the chance as a programme to allay those fears for people watching at home.
"I think it's vital and it's a brilliant opportunity to just put some truth out there. Things stagnate and fester when they're in the dark, so this is literally getting the sheets out into the light and giving them a good shake."
What kind of a response have you seen from viewers?
"It's been really, really positive. I've had a few people saying silly things like, 'Don't touch her!' I know that some friends of mine had a conversation about it and someone said, 'I better not touch that Mars Bar, you're with that woman who has HIV'. They were trying to be funny about it as well, but the fella who said it then found out that you can't get HIV through sharing a Mars Bar, so at least the conversations are happening!
"For people who have got HIV, it must be so terrible that you've got an illness that you cannot be candid about because of prejudice. The fear is that people will shun you, so the way they've done the storyline has mirrored what happens in real life. The experience of people who get HIV is that they start off in terror, but then they get informed and empowered hopefully."
What will happen next for Val?
"I don't know what's going to happen about the issues of intimacy, but the speech goes really well and people are moved by it. They admire Val's courage and candour, and that in itself starts to affect other things. It's moving things forward and I was very glad when the producers asked me whether I wanted to take this storyline on, as I've absolutely loved it."
Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick has promised that her character Val Pollard will have a busier time in 2015.
Val was diagnosed as HIV positive earlier this year, subsequently splitting with her husband Eric. However, the couple have experienced a quieter time on the soap since getting their relationship back on track.
Speaking to Chronic Live, Hardwick said: "We've had huge storylines over the last two years. People stop me in the street and ask how my HIV is and I say, 'It's fine'.
"It's started to get busy again and all I'm saying is that there'll be a lot of me and Chris!"
Hardwick also revealed that Chris Chittell, who plays Eric, will be performing a duet with her at the Teenage Cancer Trust's Christmas in Newcastle.
She said: "Me and Chris will be singing a duet - a winter classic. It'll be a bit of a challenge! I love to sing - it's my favourite thing in the world - but this doesn't sit within my comfort octave!"
Emmerdale's Val Pollard is rushed to hospital next week after suffering a shock collapse.
Val's health scare comes after she spends days ignoring flu-like symptoms, refusing to get checked out despite her loved ones pointing out that she needs to be careful following her HIV diagnosis.
Here, Charlie Hardwick - who plays Val - previews the dramatic storyline and looks back on the HIV storyline so far.
Why does Val suffer this relapse? Has she stopped taking medication?
"Val's HIV is being managed without medication thus far. It's very common now that people don't have to take medication as long as their immune system is at the right level, but I think Val now thinks, 'I've got over that, I'm invincible' and she lets things slide.
"Val has started to see HIV as something that she can turn to her own vain advantage! I think there's an underlying feeling that she's sorted it for herself, so now she can focus on helping the rest of the world to have safe sex and be an ambassador. Val is going along thinking she's robust and she's fine."
How do the symptoms start?
"Val's got a new little protégé in Tracy - for Val, she's somebody to mould and be adored by! (Laughs.) Val has also entered 'BB B&B' - Britain's Best Bed and Breakfast competition! She wants the place to be in ship shape for it, but she's got lazy Tracy working there who leaves the pot roasting and sets the kitchen ablaze.
"They come in and inhale some smoke and that's the start of Val suffering a cough. In a way, Val's symptoms are disguised at the beginning, as she just thinks that it's a side effect of the fire and she's getting a cold. She has a bit of denial about it."
How bad do things get as time goes on?
"They turn pretty bad! Val carries on thinking that it's just a terrible cold, but Finn points out that she's got HIV and she really should go and get this checked out.
"Eventually Val just keels over. I had to do a stunt for that scene - we had this great stunt director in. Val takes a couple of steps and falls, but I had a mat underneath the rug! I think it'll look quite good on screen. Emma and Finn then find Val unconscious and they don't know whether she's breathing or not."
http://i1.cdnds.net/15/08/618x451/soaps-emmerdale-7121-3.jpg
© ITV
Emma and Finn find Val on the floor
Is it important to you that Emmerdale keeps revisiting the HIV storyline?
"Yeah, I think that is quite important, because before this it was a bit like a happy ending for Val. That is the message - people can manage HIV now and we're not far away from finding a cure for it completely. But I think it's also very important that we go back to how serious this is and it's not something that can just be forgotten about. I think the story is reflecting that quite well and I'm pleased about that, because Val needs to manage this more carefully."
What kind of viewer feedback have you had?
"It's stopped being so intense recently. I've stopped doing my little lecture tour about safe sex in corner shops! It was like a one-to-one lecture tour! (Laughs.)
"People still say, 'How's the HIV?' and I always say, 'It's being managed!' I got a lot of feedback and a bit of stick about it, but I don't care at all because I think the story has genuinely raised awareness. I think soap can do that so well.
"I think it's also made people a little bit more sympathetic towards Val, rather than people just thinking that she's a right cow and telling me to be nice to Eric!"
Val's son Paul returns as things are looking so bleak. What kind of impact will that have?
"Paul comes to the hospital and Val points out that they don't send for people from abroad if you're going to be fine. Clearly she gets a big fright that Paul has been called for and she thinks she might die. It was also very nice personally for me to see Matthew Bose who plays Paul - he hasn't aged a bit!"
http://i2.cdnds.net/15/08/618x446/soaps-emmerdale-7122-1.jpg
© ITV
Eric and Finn sit and wait for news about Val
How does Eric cope with the situation?
"The doctor has to have a conversation with Pollard about whether Val should be resuscitated or not if the worst happens, but Pollard will not engage with that at all. He just screams at the doctor, 'You'll get her better!' There are great scenes of tenderness and I think Chris [Chittell, who plays Eric] plays that really well. It's so easy to play against when you look up and see his face. Pollard loves Val, doesn't he?"
What was it like to film so many scenes in a hospital bed?
"It was my favourite spell on Emmerdale! (Laughs.) I was in a clean crisp white bed! What's terrible is that as soon as you're in a coma, nobody talks to you! I was sitting in the bed thinking, 'Nobody is asking my opinion on this scene at all!' (Laughs.)
"As an actor who's always had so many lines to learn, it was strange to see page after page of no speaking! It meant that I could scrutinise everyone else's performances through half-opened eyes! I was treated very well and it was really, really relaxing. In the past I've done a play where I was in a tent all through the second act with just my feet sticking out - that was lovely as well!"
Did you feel slightly down afterwards?
"A lot of us at work are talking about this at the minute. When you play grief or illness or ecstasy, your body doesn't know that it's not what's really happening. It does have a profound effect on your physical wellbeing. I think it'd make a very interesting study for what happens to actors, particularly in soaps because I think people can get quite ill after storylines!"
Finn also has a romance brewing while at the hospital with Val, doesn't he?
"Yes, Finn is fantastic. I love Joe Gill as a person but I also love Finn as a character! He's always very concerned that he doesn't want to play Finn as a stereotypical young gay lad and I'm always saying, 'You're not, you're playing it spot on - you're just playing a lad who loves, and nothing is being sent up'.
"Finn is always looking for love and there's a handsome young nurse Darren at the hospital. Finn doesn't pick up on anything that Darren says, because Finn's gaydar isn't as good as Val's! Val's in a coma so she can't say anything! So Paul takes Val's place and points out to Finn, 'Somebody likes you'."
Does Val always need a protégé?
"She needs another human being to form or to play off. She likes a high level of drama going on in her life, so she needs another person there. At the moment it's Tracy, but I'm afraid Tracy is no Amy! I don't think that's going to come to fruition.
"Val loved Amy like she was a daughter and it's the same with Finn, but it's not everybody in the village, because she's horrible to Victoria. She just treats Victoria like a serving girl, but I think she's starting to fall in love with Finn."
You mentioned feedback in person, but have there also been letters coming in about the HIV story?
"Early on, a young lad wrote in who had become HIV positive. It was a very negative story and the person who infected him actually knew that they were HIV positive. He had to leave his job, he had to leave his city and he came back as a very poorly lad to live with his mam up here and couldn't tell her.
"It sounded like the whole of his life was spiralling, but then because the storyline started and he watched Emmerdale with his mam, he started to talk about Val having it. It was a bit of an 'in' for him, and now he's out to his mam about it, she's supporting him and his life is starting to get back on track again. It's an extreme example, but it's so gratifying and you don't know how many other people have been affected out there.
"There was also a girl at a Tube station in London. That was a surprise because in London, people don't see Emmerdale as much as they do elsewhere, as they don't get home until 8! A girl stopped me on a station platform and said, 'Are you Val? We've persuaded my aunty to go and get checked now because of the story'.
"I also know that a lot of clinics reported that footfall had gone up because people had seen it on Emmerdale. There's only a couple of crackers who have been abusive about it, most people have been very positive - which is as it should be."
Val is leaving Emmerdale ... Charlie Hardwick said it on Loose Women right now :crying::crying::crying:
Maybe this is one of the culls to be made???
val is leaving emmerdale ... Charlie hardwick said it on loose women right now :crying::crying::crying:
nooooooooo!!!!
Charlie Hardwick will leave the Village after eleven years of playing Val Pollard.
Charlie Hardwick will be saying goodbye to iconic character Val Pollard after 11 years on screen. Over the years Val has been an integral part of life in Emmerdale. Val's no shrinking violet and has always taken what life throws at her head on. Commenting on her decision, Charlie revealed: "I have loved forging and playing such a funny, unpredictable and indefatigable character in the company of such a great cast.
I have relished being the difficult sister wrangling with Diane, and outrageously attempting to mentor/suppress the B&B serfs Amy, Victoria, Finn and Tracy. "
Above all, I have endured, sorry, enjoyed the match made in heaven with that little so and so, Eric.
– Charlie Hardwick, on saying goodbye to playing Val
"Above all, I have endured, sorry, enjoyed the match made in heaven with that little so and so, Eric. When Chris and I were written together 10 years ago, I had no idea how much I would come to adore working with and being in the company of such a terrific fellow. I?d like to thank him and all of the friends I have made in front of and behind the camera for their wit, warmth, support and dogged devotion to creativity. I will miss them terribly but when it?s time to go...Adieu dear colleagues. It has been a blast."
The exact details of Val's exit are still under wraps but Val may come to regret defrauding the bank with Bob. Stay tuned for more...
tammyy2j
11-06-2015, 14:14
She is a huge loss to the show, love her with Eric
take a break charlie and return, the show needs valerie
She did not say whether it was just a break or whether she would never return but apparently it is the travelling that is getting too much ... hope she comes back one day though
tammyy2j
11-06-2015, 23:25
Charlie Hardwick admitted she won't be happy if her character is given a HIV-related exit storyline.
Hardwick, who plays fiery Val Pollard, announced today (June 11) that she is leaving after an 11-year stint on the soap.
In an interview on Loose Women, she said: "I'd be very angry if it was HIV related. I think the whole point of having Val as HIV positive is to show you can live a healthy, happy life.
"There'll be hell to pay if they go that way."
The character contracted HIV last year after having unprotected sex while on holiday and more recently suffered a health scare when she collapsed earlier this year.
The actress also admitted that she couldn't give away any secrets as to her exit story, because she doesn't know what the future holds for her character yet.
Speaking of her departure from the soap, Hardwick previously said: "I have loved forging and playing such a funny, unpredictable and indefatigable character in the company of such a great cast."
Serena Williams
12-06-2015, 05:28
I wonder if charlie contract was just not renewed? Often the soaps like emmerdale will give the actor a script to say that they wanted to move on. But the show does not renew the contact because they have no use for the character. I get that val is a comedic character along with Eric but they serve no purpose. I think the guy who plays eric needs to go too. Since charlie was a veteran I imagine she gets over £100,000 pounds per year. I wonder if the show decided to let her go?
The actress said on Loose Women that she would stay if filming was in Newcastle, she dislikes the travelling involved for her
tammyy2j
16-07-2015, 13:34
Has she finished filming already?
Fans of Emmerdale's Val Pollard should make the most of her while they can, as her exit scenes are just a few weeks away.
Actress Charlie Hardwick recently announced that she had decided to quit the soap after playing Val since 2004.
Appearing as a guest panellist on ITV's Loose Women today (July 16), Hardwick confirmed that she has already filmed her final appearance as Val.
Discussing her exit, she explained: "I've left - finished. It's still on screen until mid-August I think, or beginning of August. I've got the flowers, got the champagne and I'm off."
Hardwick added that filming her final scene with her on-screen husband Chris Chittell (Eric) and on-screen sister Elizabeth Estensen (Diane) was a particularly emotional experience.
She said: "It was strange because my last scene - it's not the last scene that I'm in because it's filmed out of order - was with my husband and my sister. Of course I've been working with them for 12 years. I just thought, 'Well just do it, it's just another scene'.
"All the time I was going, 'This is the last time you'll speak to him - stop it! This is the last time you'll look at her - stop it!' It was like I was having an out-of-body experience with it.
"We were out in the village, so it was beautiful sunshine on that lovely set. Then when they shouted cut, the first AD said, 'That was Charlie's last scene'. Everybody started clapping and I was a bit overwhelmed."
This week's Emmerdale episodes have seen Val's recent bad behaviour come back to haunt her after her attempt to defraud the bank was uncovered. This story looks set to build towards Val's departure from our screens.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
val could die in disaster
Emmerdale's Val Pollard will hatch her craziest scheme ever next week as she vows to fake her own death.
Val starts making plans to disappear forever as she desperately searches for an escape from her current legal predicament.
The outspoken character, who bows out from the ITV soap next month, is currently in deep trouble with the law after her recent attempt to defraud the bank was discovered.
Things go from bad to worse for Val next week when the stress of the situation leads to her husband Eric (Chris Chittell) suffering a shock collapse.
When Tracy Shankley pays a visit to Eric at the hospital and jokes about his life insurance, Val is suddenly hit with a brainwave and secretly vows to start a whole new life using a new identity.
http://i2.cdnds.net/15/29/618x400/soaps-emmerdale-7245-5.jpg
Things are tense between Bob and Val
© ITV
Val is under pressure
Charlie Hardwick, who plays Val, explained: "Val is absolutely beside herself over everything that's happened. She thought that tricking the bank was just a bit of a laugh and she was just helping Bob out. I don't think Val quite understood the gravity of the situation. She's terrified now because she doesn't want to go to prison.
"When Eric suffers his health scare, that's also a reality check. She fears that her husband might die as a consequence of the tension, so she knows she will have to come up with something to solve the problem.
"Once Tracy makes her comment about Eric's life insurance, that's when the cogs start to whir for Val. She wonders if there's another way out of this."
http://i1.cdnds.net/15/29/618x427/soaps-emmerdale-7246-2.jpg
Will Eric assist Val with her plan?
© ITV
Will Eric assist Val with her plan?
As Val considers her options, she draws inspiration from past Emmerdale character Shelley Williams, who met a watery end in 2005.
Val even goes as far as planning her own funeral, writing an emotional eulogy which Eric could give at the service.
Hardwick continued: "Because Shelley fell off a ferry years ago, Val decides that the same thing could happen to her and 'the body' would never be found. Eric could pretend to be upset and go off to live abroad, and they can meet in Mexico. Val doesn't think that anything could go wrong, but Eric thinks she's absolutely crackers.
http://i2.cdnds.net/15/29/618x422/soaps-emmerdale-7249-1.jpg
Pollard reluctantly reads Val's eulogy out-loud to her but it all becomes too much.
© ITV
Pollard reluctantly reads Val's eulogy out-loud
"There's another reality check for Val when Eric points out that she'll never be able to tell anyone else the truth. Val says she will after a bit, but he explains that if you fake your death you have to cut off all links with everybody. I think that's a bit of a fright to her.
"Val is being totally serious, though. I think the audience will think it's quite funny but she's absolutely rock solid serious about this!"
tammyy2j
07-08-2015, 00:29
RIP HI Val
I liked her exit, she will be missed
suzewebb
07-08-2015, 12:53
RIP HI Val
I liked her exit, she will be missed
Loved the cutting humour. No other character like her.
tammyy2j
11-08-2015, 15:23
I am glad Paul is coming for back for her funeral
I wonder will Amy and Sharon also return?
tammyy2j
11-08-2015, 15:23
.
Telly Watcher
11-08-2015, 16:11
There's life after Val Pollard yet!
On August 7th, the Yorkshire Evening Post told of news of a new role for actor Charlie Hardwick (Val Pollard) as patron of a charity dedicated to HIV and sexual health services.
>
Actor Charlie Hardwick whose Emmerdale character Val Pollard was killed is the new patron for BHA, a health equality charity providing HIV support and prevention services.
Pollard was diagnosed with HIV in the soap.
>
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/new-role-for-emmerdale-actor-1-7399000
Charlie Hardwick's new role fits nicely with her character of Val Pollard in Emmerdale, which she left on August 6th 2015. On August 7th, the Newcastle Chronicle news website, chroniclelive.co.uk, summarised Val's exit from Emmerdale the previous day.
>
Geordie actress Charlie Hardwick made a dramatic exit from Emmerdale last night as the drama continued on a memorable week for the long-running ITV show.
Viewers might have mistaken their favourite soap for a big budget blockbuster this week with more action and drama than they could shake a stick at.
The doomed wedding of Debbie Dingle and Pete Barton proved to be exactly that when their vows gave way to a series of events that kept everyone glued to their televisions and on the edge of their seats.
A gas explosion led to a freak helicopter crash which killed Ruby Haswell, played by Alicya Eyeo, earlier in the week and the death toll rose by two in Thursday night’s episode.
While Ross Barton was killed by enraged brother Pete, Charlie’s character Val found herself stabbed by falling mirror after sacrificing herself to save her sister Dianne from the same fate.
With the sisters trapped in the house of mirrors after the helicopter crash, they had a tearful heart to heart about their relationship and made up from their feud after Dianne caused Val to face prison on fraud charges for impersonating Brenda.
But Val went out as a hero after she demanded the emergency services save her sister first, knowing that a shard of broken mirror threatened to fall on her at any moment.
In emotional scenes, Val even promised to own up to her misdeeds and drop her plan to fake her own death to escape prison.
“No take her, she’s got a cut on her head. See, I’m not always selfish,” Val said. “Don’t make a stranger of yourself Fireman Sam, and sis, make sure there’s still a crowd when I come out.
“I know I’m not always selfish but your drama queen bit was dot on.”
Then with a last fleeting look as the fireman carried Dianne out, Val added: “I love you.”
With Dianne out, Val stared at the mirror and went out in typical Valerie Pollard fashion.
“Don’t even think about it,” she said to the mirror. “I really need to get out now, hurry it up. Oh, you’re joking me. You’re joking me. The one time I do something nice, the one time. That’s not fair.”
Lighting up her last cigarette, she looked up at the broken mirror threatening to end her life and taunted it.
“Come on then,” she said. “Do your worst. I’m not frightened of you. I’m HIVal. I’m Valerie Pollard of the Valerie Pollard Foundation.”
“I’m Val,” she added as the mirror fell, killing her instantly.
We revealed earlier this year that Charlie was bidding goodbye to Emmerdale but local fans won’t have long to wait to see her in action again as she is playing the Spirit of the Tyne in Theatre Royal Newcastle’s Christmas pantomime Dick Whittington.
>
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/charlie-hardwick-bows-out-itv-9810019
I am glad Paul is coming for back for her funeral
I wonder will Amy and Sharon also return?
amy cant return for kidnaping kyle and now joanie and kyle live there no way she can plus amy was annoying ruining kerry
I am glad Paul is coming for back for her funeral
I wonder will Amy and Sharon also return?
amy cant return for kidnaping kyle and now joanie and kyle live there no way she can plus amy was annoying ruining kerry
Val Pollard will make another appearance in Emmerdale next week, but this time in the form of an amusing DVD recording.
The popular character was killed off amid the helicopter crash disaster earlier this month, but she later made one final appearance as she visited her husband Eric in order to bring him the closure he needed following her death.
Upcoming scenes will see Eric and Diane clash over a DVD revealing Val's last wishes after Tracy stumbles across it. Although Diane believes they owe it to her sister to watch her final wishes, the situation proves too overwhelming for Eric.
Next week, after getting her hands back on the DVD, Diane gathers a small group in the Woolpack back room to watch it.
http://i2.cdnds.net/15/33/618x410/soaps-emmerdale-7271-7272-double-ep-3.jpg
At the Woolpack, Diane gathers some of the village round to watch Val's DVD
© ITV
The villagers watch Val's DVD
In true Val style, the DVD turns out to be a lively recording, detailing how she wants a spectacular and extravagant send off leaving everyone amused and touched to see her face again.
However, a numb Eric fails to see the funny side like the others do, until the DVD content takes a rather entertaining turn when Val starts to dish out some of her rather harsh opinions. Could this help Eric move forward?
Emmerdale airs these scenes in an hour-long episode on Tuesday, August 25 on ITV.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a663980/emmerdale-spoilers-val-pollards-true-opinions-are-revealed-in-the-dvd-she-left-behind.html#ixzz3jAMR7rkc
Telly Watcher
02-09-2015, 09:11
chroniclelive.co.uk published on 13-06-15:
>
Charlie Hardwick: Why I'm leaving Emmerdale
13 June 2015
By Gordon Barr
Soap queen Charlie Hardwick is quitting Emmerdale after suffering exhaustion.
The Wallsend-born actress, who has played Val for the past 12 years, will film her final scenes next month.
But while she is ready to leave and it was her decision to quit, she will do so with something of a heavy heart.
“I’d been struggling for a little time over the winter. I did nine months in Emmerdale where they told me I couldn’t have a day off,” she tells What’s On Editor Gordon Barr.
“I had nine months where I was scheduled every day to film and that’s a lot of line-learning and 12-hour days in every set-up and every scene and I think I went beyond myself and I was absolutely exhausted.
“I had a few months off afterwards and in that time I just thought I’ve got to draw this to a close. Then I thought don’t be stupid it’s just because you have been working really hard, so I went back to work and then there was Christmas and again I was thinking I had to draw it to a close. Then thinking don’t be silly it’s just because it is Christmas.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CN4g-bBW8AAiAb6.jpg
Charlie Hardwick - Spirit of the Tyne in Dick Whittington
“Eventually you wake up one day and realise you are thinking about it all of the time and struggling with it. I gave it to February and then I made an appointment to see the producer. When I got up there I was ready to go and I knew in my heart I was and it’s a shame as I haven’t tired of Val, I’m just tired. The commute was too much and I spend 85% of my life away from the people I love, so something’s got to change and give and it’s got to be my job.
“I’ve got less than a month now. In February it seemed like years stretching ahead and suddenly it has galloped like a riderless horse. Realisation has struck and I’m thinking have I made a mistake? I’m going to miss these people and this place. I don’t think I have thought it through about leaving what is my extended family after all this time.
“The cast becomes everything to you, everything. The trials and tribulations that happen in the tiny bit of life we have outside of the job, well the fat gets chewed at work and that is going to be very strange, but I will just have to bombard them. You know that thing when people leave a job and they just keep hanging around like a bad smell, that will be me! I’m going to make it my mission, I am positively going to be a bad smell hanging around them,” she laughs.
Charlie’s next starring role will be as the Spirit of the Tyne in Dick Whittington at Newcastle Theatre Royal this Christmas.
>
Source:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/charlie-hardwick-im-leaving-emmerdale-9447312
Val Pollard might be gone, but she's certainly not forgotten - and one Emmerdale star thinks she could even make a shock return.
Yes, really.
Death has never stopped a soap comebackbefore, and we all know the rules - if we haven't seen the body, we probably haven't seen the last of them. And Matthew Wolfenden, who plays Val's stepson David Metcalfe, reckons that could be the case here.
Charlie Hardwick's Val was killed off in the aftermath of the tragic helicopter crash last year, and later appeared as a ghost during a final goodbye to her husband Eric.
"Charlie was brilliant and I think the whole show misses her," Wolfenden said to Inside Soap.
"Emmerdale needs a character like Val. But have they really killed her off? Chris Chittell [Eric] says we never saw Val's body - just a body bag being carried away.
"And Val was planning on faking her own death! We'll see. But I learned so much from Charlie, she's incredible. We share a love of art, so we still keep in touch."
Stranger things have certainly happened in Soapland...
Digital Spy
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.